The victims allegedly bought the liquor, mixed with methanol and isopropanol, from street stalls.
At least six people have died and dozens more are fighting for their lives in Thailand’s capital Bangkok after drinking homemade alcohol laced with toxic chemicals, police said. Thailand’s Metropolitan Police Department said the victims had bought the liquor, an illegally made and distributed liquor mixed with methanol and isopropanol, from street stalls.
Thailand’s health department said that soon after drinking, many people suffered instant dizziness, shortness of breath and vomiting — all telltale symptoms of alcohol poisoning. So far, at least 37 people aged between 22 and 69 are hospitalized on life support. Doctors said 15 are on ventilators to help them breathe and many require kidney dialysis.
Police said they had traced the source of the poor-quality local homemade alcohol, or “rotgut,” to a woman in the Thai capital’s Saphan Sung district. Police say rotgut is often laced with cheap, harsh chemicals to increase its shelf life.
What is alcohol poisoning??
Alcohol poisoning occurs when there is so much alcohol in the bloodstream that it begins to render vital areas of the brain unusable. Doctors say it affects breathing, heart rate and body temperature and is extremely fatal.
According to experts, alcohol poisoning occurs when a large amount of alcohol is consumed in a short period of time. Although it usually occurs with alcoholic beverages such as beer or wine, the condition can also be caused by non-alcoholic beverages such as mouthwashes, colognes and cough syrups.
Signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning
Some common symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:
- Confusion and slow responses
- Lack of coordination, inability to walk.
- Difficulty staying conscious
- Vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Slow heart rate
- Bladder problems
- Cold, clammy, or bluish skin.
- Low body temperature
- Seizures
What causes alcohol poisoning??
According to experts, when you drink too much alcohol, your body is not able to digest it and therefore it passes into the bloodstream, which increases the blood alcohol content (BAC). The liver breaks it down because it is considered a toxin, but when BAC levels are high, it cannot do so. Therefore, extra alcohol works as a depressant, slowing down the body’s normal functions.
It then affects breathing and consciousness, leading to intoxication. Doctors consider a blood alcohol concentration of 0.30 to 0.40% to be alcohol poisoning, which causes loss of consciousness. However, a blood alcohol concentration above 0.40% is a life-threatening level, leading to coma and even risk of death.
How is alcohol poisoning treated??
To provide life-saving treatment to a person with alcohol poisoning, it is necessary to administer:
- Intravenous fluids
- Intravenous fluids help treat dehydration and raise blood sugar levels if they are low.
- Oxygen therapy
- Doctors may provide oxygen through a nasal cannula by placing a small tube into your windpipe if you are having trouble breathing.
- Stomach pumping
- With the help of a tube, doctors help cleanse the stomach of toxins.
- Blood filtration
- If your kidneys are affected due to alcohol poisoning, doctors start dialysis to filter the alcohol from your blood.
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